The texture of raw homegrown silk is very different from the soft, lush varieties that is the contemporary favourite. The one you see on this page is fashioned from kora silk in Banaras, the home of decorative Indian brocades. It comes with a miniscule diamond-shaped weave (best zoomed in on in the field of the saree), that adds to its heavy and traditional appeal. Note the translucence that lies beneath the muted, shimmering green.

Setting off the unusual tint of green is the flaming scarlet endpiece. The entirety of it has been embroidered with dense proportions of the Banaras-famous zariwork (gold thread embroidery) and finished with a thick brocaded border of matching diamond-weave. The border along the rest of the saree is a gold-coloured one interwoven with sweet purple flowers. Hints of a pale, feminine pink emerge in the endpiece as you motion it against the light. A saree such as this deserves the best of your diamonds.